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Friday, July 25, 2008

International Organizations react to the 2008 US TIP Report

HTP has covered the reaction of various governments to the State Department's 2008 TIP Report, but international organizations also have input on the pluses and minuses of the process and criteria of the report.

In their statement the GAATW members praised the drafters of the TIP report for their efforts in giving more attention to such issues as trafficking for labour exploitation as well as for the recognition that migrant workers can be trafficked even if migrating legally. Furthermore, the intention of the authors of the report to focus more on the exploitation element of trafficking rather than the movement is seen as an important and promising development.

Nevertheless, in spite of these improvements, the Alliance members addressed a number of concerns which undermine the efficacy and consistency of the TIP report. First and foremost, the lack of human rights impact assessment of anti-trafficking measures hinders considerably full understanding of the trafficking situation. Secondly, conflation of trafficking with prostitution as well as the lack of distinction between forced and voluntary sex work in its definition of trafficking leads to harmful anti-trafficking policies. Finally, the shortage of proper reference or citation for research and statistics undermines the credibility of the TIP Report as it is vital that a report of this stature support its arguments with credible and verifiable data.

In its letter GAATW has made the following recommendations to the U.S. Government:

• Incorporate an impact assessment of anti-trafficking policies and practices as part of the criteria for the TIP Report, including inter alia:

- the impact of these policies and practices, especially that on the human rights of migrants and sex workers;

- the ineffectiveness of conditional assistance;

- the quality of services provided and if they comply with human rights standards;

- the impact of punitive migration policies.

• Use an evidence-based approach when assessing anti-trafficking measures.

• Reassess the U.S. government's position on the links between prostitution and trafficking. Examine the adverse affects the zero-tolerance prostitution policy is having upon those most vulnerable to trafficking.

• Provide proper citations for all referenced research and statistics, so as to provide verifiable evidence for its claims.